After Years
by gustin puckerman
Summary: When their son comes out with a question. one-shot.


**This is a dangerous attempt on trying this couple out. I wanna try them still though, they just work together so well and I am so much in love with these two together. I try to show the hate-love-_kindalikelove_ relationship going on, but I can't assure you that... it worked. _blah_. what am I even saying? Enjoy**.

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He has the easiness of his father, and the sharp eyes of his mother.

"So I don't get this," the nine years old sits on the kitchen island, his legs crossed together- despite how his mother had warned him several times before about doing exactly so.

Both his parents perk up at him, but doesn't bother to stop what they're doing. His mother rolls her eyes at his ignorance towards her orders, but decided she's too tired to argue with him; _it'll just falls into deaf ears, anyways- like every time_. His father, however, watches them with amusement glistening his eyes.

"You both _live_ together." Ethan narrows his curious bright hazel eyes at both of his parents, "And you have a _son_ together."

Nolan finishes scrapping his bread with jam now, leaning against the kitchen's table and continues to listen in into his son - while Emily continues to make the tea for herself. Their son continues, "And you argue _all the time_, but still stay around each other for years. Sometimes, you look like you want to kill each other- but I know you'd kill _for_ each other. And sometimes, you show affection towards each other—"

"Do this actually go anywhere?" Emily snaps at the nine years old, but he only grins in return.

"Geesh mom, didn't take your chill pill this morning?" Ethan chuckles, his dimple which he clearly inherits from his father emerges to grace his handsome, young face.

Nolan quirks his lips himself, sharing the humor- but gazing at Emily's face, he knows better than to let her know that. "Please Ethan. Don't upset your mother so early in the morning," he points out, taking another bite on his bread.

"Not in the morning," Ethan notes. "But later then?"

The man chortles, but waves his hand, dismissing the question. "Your point from earlier?"

"Oh yeah," the young, cheeky blond gasps aloud, the curiosity returns. "So, you two did _all_ of those things together. But you aren't married?"

Both Nolan and Emily shares a look, sighing. "No, Ethan. I thought we'd talk about this," Emily counters, pouring herself the hot tea.

"Yeah, you mentioned it before - and it was okay _then_!" Ethan flails his hand dramatically. "But now I'm just curious. Plus, everybody's asking me questions at schools- 'hey Ethan, why aren't you parents married yet?'- and I'm kinda tired of shrugging my shoulders and saying 'I don't know', y'know?"

"Just ignore those people, Ethan," Nolan mutters, finishing his bread. "Shit disturbers all of 'em."

Emily snaps him a look when he cursed, and he stumbles out muffled apologies through a mouth full of breads.

Ethan grins at that - seeing dad in trouble has always been a personal entertainment for him.

"But seriously though," the young blond turns serious- an expression that looks incredibly similar like his mother's. "Why aren't you married?"

Nolan and Emily shares a look again, but it is Emily who sighs, turning back to the nine years old, who's still awaiting for an answer. As she observes her through her eyes- she sees a little flash of how _he_ had happened. How she lingered to Nolan when everything was over- and they just kinda fell into a hazy routine. And they found love along the way, but the past burned them alive that sometimes it gets in their way. _It still does_; not often - but it happens.

"I guess, it's just—" Emily is at lost of words. But she tries anyway. "Honestly, it's just easier this way."

"Easier?"

Emily comes up to step in front of Ethan, her waist leans against the kitchen's island. She cups the nine years old's face, and the young blond throws a spontaneous grin back at her- an act he clearly gets from his father. Even after years, Emily is still guarded with herself- too scarred to be completely open. While Nolan- he saunters through people's life with a joke spare in his back pocket and a smile, whether it's fake or genuine, ready to pleases everyone. And it just so happens their son manage to balance both of those personalities just fine- just a little bit dangerous because of her, but still manage to find humor in everything, like his father.

But more to his father, unfortunately for her.

But it's okay though- he had gotten most of her looks anyways, it's only fair.

Nolan comes then, from behind and joins them. "Look at it this way - we're happy, aren't we?"

Ethan tilts his head to one side, his yellow hair illuminates under the sunlight. "Of course we are, despite how mom is always a joy-killer."

"Hey!"

Ethan and Nolan abrupt in chuckles, but the older man continues nonetheless. "So why change it? Why marry when everything is already perfect as it is?"

The young blond seems to be thinking about this, and after two minutes, he shrugs his shoulders. "I guess you _do_ have a point."

He looks at both of his parents now, and slowly smiles- the dimples identical to his father's. "Yeah, we _are_ happy aren't we?"

Emily slightly smiles warmly at that. _With a dark past- but yes, she _is_ happy on the moment_.

Nolan's hand catches hers and squeezes it, and she turns to him, smiling wider.

"Well thanks for answering the questions, _familia,_" Ethan nods his head, jumping off the island and grabs a toast. "I'll be at Brad's! Don't forget you guys promised to watch the new cartoon movie tonight!"

Brad's the across neighbor's son, who's the same age as he is.

Nolan nods his head easily, "Yeah! Yeah! It's been kinda hard to forget considering you've been pressing that issue for the last two weeks!"

Ethan smiles slyly, "It's the premiere! I don't wanna miss it!"

"And make sure to be careful, Ethan David Ross or I'll—"

"Yeah, yeah, mom!" Ethan shouts, now at the door. "I get it. Goodbye. See you two later!"

The door shuts, and Emily shakes her head, slowly facing the man standing besides her. Nolan doesn't catch her look until a second later. "What?"

"Look at your son," she mutters disappointingly, although there's a small smile hovering her lips.

Nolan chocks in his laughter, "Oh, so when he's troublesome like that- he's only _my_ son?"

Emily shrugs her shoulders, turning back to her tea.

"As I recall, making a baby requires a _joining_ effort, Miss Ems." Nolan shrugs in his coffee, after taking it from the coffeemaker.

Emily ignores that, facing him back and shaking the tea in her hands. "But I'm proud of him, though" she murmurs against the lid of her tea, her eyes gazing at the door her son had left through.

Nolan smiles at that, a sense of proud spreads over his chest joyfully. "Don't we all?"

She turns her eyes on him, responding to his smile with one of her soft ones.

She sighs against the drink and reminds herself how years spent with Nolan has soften her heart, if only for a bit. She has open up more towards everything- feeling _free_. It was a hard process to achieve such state, but Nolan hadn't fail her- not once. But even so, she was still very defensive of her feelings- even now. Just admitting that she kinda finds herself really in love with Nolan sometimes ashamed her, making her feel powerless- but seeing the scars Nolan had took for her sake, she was foolish to even think so, she knows.

But still.

It isn't often she said the word 'love' and she knows he savors every moment when she does.

They're in California now- LA, to be exact. The sun's shining like no other and the heat gets to them sometimes, but they're happy. They've been happy since the moment he took her hand and get her away from the Hamptons once every piece of vengeance in her body settled, finished- _done_. It takes a moment for her to realize that, but she did. _She glad she did_.

Nolan discussed about her 'getting out again' and 'have fun', and she tried- she did. But she always find herself to be next to him, anyways. It was always him that wouldn't run away, no matter how she scared the life out of him. And they steady each other- they _need_ each other. She doesn't require any other company, and he doesn't too- and somehow, over the years, they just settle with that. Unspokenly.

They've escaped the Hamptons for almost fifteen years now- nine years of it filled with mayhem, and there's still more to come.

Emily stares at the new-born photo of Ethan, framed perfectly by Nolan and hang against the wall, among other few pictures of him growing up. She feels a pair of long arms sneaks to wrap around her small torso, and she casually leans back- rather used to this gesture. Nolan plants a deep kiss on her temple, a small move to show how he appreciates her- his eyes trained on the same thing.

"It feels kinda weird, doesn't it?" he asks, his lips near to her ears. "Realizing we're not married, even after years."

"It does," she admits slowly.

They fall into a mutual silence, their eyes coming back to the new-born portrait. Ethan's so small in the picture, sleeping, his blond hair almost goes unnoticed if you don't look closely.

She rests her hands on his arms, "Maybe Mrs Emily Ross does sound good on me."

"It does," he agrees, there's no humor in his tone.

She sighs, almost lazily. "Let's get married?"

"If you're sure," Nolan doesn't argue.

She looks at Ethan's baby portrait for the last time, before closing her eyes and just leans back as Nolan sways her in a lazy dance. "I'm sure."

"Then let's get married."

"Okay."

**_Fin_**.

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**See, it's crap! I know. But I need to get this published. There's this aching feeling for me to show how this would go down in my head- how it still kinda platonic between them, but there's a little love in the air. Especially with Ethan around. Yes, that's their biological son- by _blood_. Yes, this is AU. I think. Yeah, need to go. Lacking of sleep here**.


End file.
